Seroprevalence and its associated risk factors of Bovine Neosporosis and Bovine Viral Diarrhea in cattle of Tilottama municipality, Rupandehi, Nepal

Background: Bovine Neosporosis (BN) and Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) are economically significant livestock disease that causes reproductive and respiratory problems in cattle and buffalo caused by protozoan parasite Neospora caninum and Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) respectively. The burden of production and economic loss due to infectious reproductive diseases are still unknown in the various location of Nepal. Objectives: To overview the prevalence of bovine neosporosis and bovine viral diarrhea infection in a commercially important livestock herd from Tilottama Municipality, Rupandehi, Nepal. Methods: A cross-sectional purposive study was conducted through a questionnaire survey to collect demographic and farm characteristics information. In total 92 serum samples from jugular veins were collected from a different herd of Tilottama Municipality of Rupandehi, Nepal. The antibody against BVDV was tested using the competitive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (c-ELISA). Results: The individual animal-wise apparent prevalence was 9.78% with a true prevalence of 9.70% (5.09 - 17.57) and 3.26% with a true prevalence of 3.10%; CI (0.93 - 9.06) for BN and BVD respectively. The risk factor history of abortion was associated significantly with BN and BVD seropositivity (p < 0.05). Animals in the mixed farming system and contact with dogs were associated significantly with the occurrence of bovine viral diarrhea and bovine neosporosis respectively at (p < 0.05). Conclusion and recommendation: The stuy indicated the circulation of Neospora caninum and bovine viral diarrhea in dairy herds of the study area. It is suggested that the stakeholders in the study area should be sensitized to the impact of Neospora caninum and bovine viral diarrhea virus infection in dairy herds and include both diseases in the regional and national surveillance system.